


A New Home

by loststolenandfound



Series: Hybrid Louis [2]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-13
Updated: 2013-10-13
Packaged: 2017-12-29 06:18:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1001991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/loststolenandfound/pseuds/loststolenandfound
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis gets a new home and maybe the beginnings of something else too.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A New Home

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for taking so long with this next part; I lost my love of writing for a while but hopefully this is okay. I'm sorry there isn't much of a storyline but it just felt like natural progression for the series and it's kinda helped me to just have fluff and happiness for a little while. I love you all for bookmarking and kudos-ing and commenting on the first part of the series and you've honestly made me so incredibly happy. I really hope you enjoy and if you're having a bad day; I hope it'll maybe cheer you up.

Louis watches silently, tail flicking nervously and ears flattened against his scalp, as the boys all wander off in different directions. He just stays by the entrance to the flat, not even crossing the threshold, and he doesn’t feel like he belongs; he doesn’t know what to do or where to go.

 

His thoughts drift back to Jonny, back to his cage and his blanket, and whilst it may not have been much; it was his home. He flicks his long, shaggy hair nervously and runs a mitten-covered hand over his fringe; unsure of what is expected of him.

 

“Louis? What you standing here for? Come in!” Niall doesn’t wait for a response so Louis doesn’t even bother opening his mouth to protest; he just allows Niall to tug him along and decides to focus solely on walking, which should be an easy task but there has not been much time for him to do so since being bought by Jonny.

 

He stumbles a few times as though his feet are wary of touching the ground but Niall doesn’t comment on it; rather he just tugs Louis that tiny bit closer to him and continues to guide him somewhere unbeknown to Louis.

 

Niall gently pushes Louis onto the sofa and begins to walk away but he turns around instantly when he hears the thud sound that occurs when Louis launches himself to the ground.

 

“Hey, hey, Louis!” Niall exclaims as Louis shrinks back, shuffling away on his bum and hands until he reaches the wooden legs of the coffee table.

 

Louis says nothing but he knows that the look in his eyes will say it all.

 

“Louis, mate, you can sit on the sofa; you’re allowed, ‘course you’re allowed.” Niall offers him a small smile and holds out his hands, palms up, and after a moment begins to approach the frightened hybrid.

 

Louis squirms, he has no reason to fear Niall as the boy has shown himself to be nothing but kind so far; it’s more so that Louis doesn’t trust _humans._ So he sits, not moving away but definitely not moving any closer and he just waits, eyes unblinking as the blonde haired boy approaches him.

 

Niall’s right in front of him and just opening his mouth to say something when there’s a clatter, a yell and the sound of feet running along the floor and heading their way.

 

Louis doesn’t know where to go, he feels trapped and so he just tugs his little legs and knees in and holds on tightly to them with his glove covered hands, bending his neck down and trying to hide his tail from view.

 

“Harry! What the fuck is so urgent you had to run through here like that?” Niall tells off Harry who’s apparently the one responsible for the pounding footfalls, before making his voice a lot softer and addressing Louis, “Hey it’s okay, it was just Harry, I know he would never mean to scare you.”

 

Louis looks up through the very top of his eyes to see Niall smiling at him gently and Harry looking apologetic and offering a small nod.

 

“Sorry Louis, I was just excited is all, Liam, Zayn and I found a few things in your box and we just wanted to show you and Niall.”

 

“How about I come see and we let Lou have a little look around his new home?” Niall’s smile must be permanent Louis thinks as he watches the boy grin at him. “Remember what I was just telling you though yeah? This is all yours now, you’re more than welcome to do whatever you please, this is your home now.”

 

Niall doesn’t wait for any reply from Louis and he just pushes Harry from the room; leaving Louis completely alone in the unfamiliar territory.

 

Louis waits a few minutes before uncurling and then he stretches; wincing slightly as it exerts his stiff muscles. He can’t be bothered to pull himself upright so he just crawls on his hands and knees and timidly sniffs at his surroundings. He pads along the soft carpet, sticking close to the walls as he goes, and then, once he’s been around the entire room he looks around; just to check there’s nobody approaching, before leaving the safety of the walls and heading right to the centre of the floor. Once there he just falls back on to his bum with a soft little thump and listens to the quiet voices that waft through the air to him.

 

The carpet is so soft and warm beneath his thin body and it’s unlike anything he’s felt before; it’s luxurious and it tickles his skin where his clothes ride up because they’re too short. He can’t resist toppling over and he feels something akin to comfort when he feels the material under one side of his face. He nestles his jaw and tummy and legs into the carpet, wiggling from side to side and he sighs, almost happily. He doesn’t even realise that he’s closed his eyes until consciousness tugs him back.

 

He wakes with a start after that and he’s quick to sit up, ready to retreat from anyone who’s too close. He sees someone jump out of the corner of his eye and it causes him to panic and before he knows it he’s wriggling backwards, on his bum again with his arms walking him back like a crab and he’s almost sure he’s going in the direction of the wall but then he collides with something and when that something reaches out a hand to steady him from toppling over he realizes that it’s a _person_.

 

“It’s alright Louis!” The person behind him says but it isn’t _alright_ ; he knows what humans are like and he knows what’s going to happen to him; heknows _heknows **heknows**_.

 

Louis just stares, his eyes watching in fear, prepared to blink them shut if anyone approaches.

 

“I’m just drawing, that’s all, see?” The dark haired boy holds up a pencil and paper and Louis still doesn’t understand.

 

“Everything ok?” Niall’s standing in the doorway now, eyes flitting between Louis and the pencil wielding Zayn.

 

“Yeah Ni, just showing Louis here that I’m not gonna hurt him; I’m just drawing.”

 

“What are you drawing Zayn?” Niall asks and Louis watches, breath held as Niall saunters into the room, luckily walking over to Zayn and leaving Louis alone.

 

“Oh wow!” Niall’s exclamation has Louis’ full attention once more, “That’s really good mate! Show ‘im, show Louis, go on.”

 

Louis shrinks back again when Zayn sighs softly and starts to move towards him; hand outstretched still clutching the piece of paper. He clenches all of his muscles when Zayn is within arms reach and his eyes press tightly shut.

 

“It’s okay. Look, none of us are going to hurt you, you’re safe here, I just wanted to show you my drawing,” Zayn whispers, his voice gentle and it’s kind of soothing to Louis’ ears. He’s almost unable to stop himself from opening his eyes and looking at the page being offered to him by Zayn.

 

He sees himself? There’s certainly a catboy looking back at him; he thinks it’s himself. It has the same pointy ears and tail that he does, it even has mittens for hands and feet and the shading on the drawing suggests that it has the same colour hair.

 

“It’s _you_ Louis, I hope you don’t mind but I like to draw and you were just sleeping there…” Zayn almost seems to be unsure and insecure about having drawn Louis, or maybe it’s that Louis has now seen his drawing but in that moment, Louis decides that he likes this boy. Hell, he likes them all so far but he just doesn’t _trust_ them yet; maybe he never will. They’ve been nothing but kind to him as of yet however, so Louis offers him a smile. At least, it _feels_ like a smile but for all he knows it could be a grimace.

 

Zayn smiles back though and Louis decides that maybe he hasn’t forgotten how to smile after all. They’re just smiling and watching each other and Niall joins in too, scooting down beside the pair of them where they’re now crouched on the floor and there’s silence but it isn’t overwhelming or daunting; it’s just pleasant and peaceful.

 

It’s broken momentarily by the arrival of Liam and Harry, the latter of who is carrying Louis’ box.

 

“This looks cosy,” Liam as he slowly walks to join them and glances over at Zayn’s drawing to take a look. “Hey, that’s really good,” He compliments Zayn before turning to Louis, back to the picture and then back to Louis, “Looks just like you.”

 

Louis smiles again, this time he tries to make it a little bigger and it’s suddenly stretching across his face and making his sore lips twitch. All of the boys, including Harry who’s no longer looking in the box, grin back at him and Louis is filled with a feeling of warmth; it’s like his whole body has been wrapped in a blanket.

 

“Hey, you mind Zayn?” Harry’s question puzzles Louis and the smile drops slightly thanks to his lull in concentration and he watches as Harry carefully eases the paper from Zayn’s hand and takes a hold of the pencil.

_Louis’ first day in his new home._

 

Louis can read, not very well, but he can make out the words and he knows that the feeling that’s welling up within him is ‘happiness’; only he’s not too familiar with the concept of it.

 

Louis wants to thank them, for saving him, for letting him in, for smiling at him and not treating him the same way as the others in the past had. He knows that things may change; things may not stay this good for him. But right now, he feels safe for the first time in his whole life and it feels wonderful.

 

He doesn’t really know how to thank though; after all he’s never had any one to thank for anything before; not properly at least.

 

He ends up holding his breath in concentration, wiggling his bum and tail, tensing his back legs and lightly jumping onto Zayn who falls back with a whoosh and they land together with a thud.

 

Zayn groans and Louis has a second’s doubt; thinking that he’s made a mistake, that he’s misjudged them and he’s got them wrong and they are in fact like everyone else before them.

 

But then, Zayn chuckles, it’s like a laugh but softer and soon enough the others are joining in and tumbling on to the pair gently.

 

Louis purrs.

 

Everyone stops.

 

“Didn’t know you could purr,” Liam’s smiling at Louis, big and wide and happy.

 

Louis nods shakily, still expecting to be hit, every time he’d made any type of noise before without permission he’d get hit.

 

“It’s so cool! I wanna purr!” Harry’s exclamation startles Louis and he begins to try and wriggle out of their hold; not realizing that Harry is happy, not angry.

 

It’s only when Harry actually begins to try and purr that Louis understands that he’s not in trouble, and he’s purring more now; louder than before. He’s joined by the four boys around him all trying to purr now and it’s ridiculous, absolutely bloody ridiculous and yet it’s making Louis feel the best he’s ever felt and he can’t stop smiling and purring and the boys are hugging him and laughing and Louis can’t help but wonder if this is what being loved feels like.

 

Eventually, the laughter and attempts at purring stop and in its place is just the peaceful silence of four boys and a hybrid. Until Niall’s tummy rumbles.

 

“Food!” The boy shouts as he tries to extract himself from their pile of bodies.

 

“Anyone else hungry? Could order in? Or get Harold here to cook us something?” Niall asks and Louis obviously must not catch the joke because everyone laughs for a beat or two.

 

“For the final time, I am not, and will not ever be, your personal chef.” Harry says exasperatedly.

 

Niall just grins and turns to face Louis, “Why don’t we let Louis choose?”

 

Louis just cocks his head, never having been given the choice to pick his food before.

 

“Pizza? Could get chicken on… Would that be okay for you?” Liam asks, smiling at Louis when the hybrid offers no response.

 

Louis is wary, unsure as to whether he’s genuinely being asked or whether it’s a trick; in the end he settles for a shaky nod of his head, pricking his ears up slightly.

 

“Great! I’ll order,” Liam says as he begins to stand up, “Hey Louis, you can go have a bath or shower if you want and we can get you some fresh clothes?”

 

Louis hisses, he doesn’t mean to but the last time he’d had to have a bath he had been held under the water for far too long by Jonny and had his hair washed so roughly that his scalp had ached for days after.

 

“You don’t have to, you don’t have to do anything if you don’t want to. I just thought you’d want to wash away Jonny and everything,” Liam’s voice trails off at the end and Louis feels mean for making the boy unsure.

 

He thinks it over for a minute, just sitting there with his ears have up and his tail flitting against the floor gently, the four boys just watching him silently. He does feel dirty and he would love to get clean but he’s never had the choice of taking a bath before and the thought alone scares him.

 

But he nods, and he can’t help but smile when the four boys grin back at him; pleased twinkles in their eyes that make Louis feel good. 

 

“Come on then, I’ll show you how to work it and Harry will go get you some fresh clothes.” Niall’s offering a hand out to Louis and he just stares at it for a second as if weighing up his options but he decides that he trusts this blond blue eyed boy so he stretches out his own hand and lets Niall tug him upright.

 

The bath is run and Niall’s even put some bubbles in there for Louis; all that’s left is to strip off his ragged dirty old clothes and climb into the tub. He struggles though when he realises that he can’t get his mittens through the sleeves. He tries and tries and presses his ears flat to his head as he becomes quickly frustrated with his unsuccessful efforts.

 

Niall, who’s been busy sorting out some sort of bottle area at the cupboard by the sink turns around when he hears Louis’ struggles and quickly bounds over to join the hybrid.

 

“Here, let me, we should have taken these off ages ago, sorry Louis,” Niall smiles softly before silently reaching for one of Louis’ hands and beginning to unravel the tape that secures the glove to his skin.

 

Louis can’t help but hiss as the removal of the tape pulls on some of his arm hair and Niall instantly stops and gives him a moment before continuing. “Sorry Lou,” Niall’s voice is softer than Louis’ ever heard it before and he startles when the blonde gasps a sharp intake of breath once the mittens are removed.

 

“Got you these, I reckon they’ll be a bit big but better that than too small and we can go get you some more stuff, some of your own stuff, you can choose it or we could like get it online,” Harry’s voice is loud as it rings out and the sounds of his footfalls get closer. It’s only once he’s entered the bathroom and looks up from the clothes pile in his arms that he swears softly and struts quickly to join Niall.

 

“Louis,” Niall breathes out and Louis instantly flattens his ears to his head and curls his tail up as small and tight as it’ll go. He wants to pull his now mitten free hands away from Niall, he is sure that he knows what is about to happen but he doesn’t want to anger the boy anymore than he already has; especially as Harry is here now and it would be two against one.

 

“Fuck,” Harry doesn’t help to ease Louis’ worries; Louis knows what fuck means, he knows the way it hurts his body when someone fucks him, when he’s fucked, it’s a bad word with bad meanings.

 

Louis wishes it were different; he was just beginning to believe that these _boys_ were different. His mouth and lips have never felt drier, they probably have been given the amount of times he was made to suck Jonny’s dick and then sleep without having a drink, but it’s as though his fear has dried him up. He stutters out a very gruff and quiet “S-sorry,” before trying to very gently ease himself free from Niall’s grip.

 

“No, no, Louis, don’t apologise, please, please don’t say sorry,” Niall starts; his blue eyes burning into him and they’re so intense, staring so brightly at Louis that it makes him feel as if he’s drowning.

 

“This isn’t your fault, Niall’s right Louis, you don’t have to apologise or be sorry for any of this,” Harry’s gentle as he takes Louis’ left hand in to his own; Niall has his other and the two boys are both just cradling Louis so, so gently.

 

“No sorry?” Louis asks, still unsure and skeptical.

 

“Exactly!” Niall smiles at him once more but Louis doesn’t like this version as much as the one he saw earlier in the living room. This one looks sadder and it doesn’t make his eyes shine like the other one did.

 

“We need to clean these for you, to look after them, to look after you. Is that okay Louis? I can do it or Ni can or we can both do it and maybe that way it’ll be over twice as fast?” Harry asks; he’s smiling sadly too.

 

Louis is unsure, he hasn’t seen his hands properly in a long, long time and so he has no idea that they aren’t supposed to look like his do. He has no clue that hands aren’t supposed to be pale and bruise free, he has absolutely no idea that his fingernails shouldn’t be the horrendously long and jagged claws that they are, and he sure as hell has no idea that he shouldn’t be experiencing a tingly feeling that’s been caused by his circulation having been stemmed slightly.

 

He’s wary as he looks in turn at both Harry and Niall; he takes his time to watch them, his eyes blinking every so often as he tries to decide. He makes his decision based purely on the feeling that’s been welling in his heart ever since he met these boys and he thinks that maybe it’ll backfire but even if it lasts, only for one more day, this warmth inside of him makes it all worth it.

 

“O-okay, both… Please?” Louis asks, a shyness taking over him as he lowers his eyes slightly but not enough so that he can no longer watch the two boys.

 

“Of course Lou, come sit over here and we’ll clean them as quickly as we can. It’ll hurt a little but that’s because we’re putting this special soap stuff that the Doctors use and it makes sure that none of the little cuts and scrapes you have get infected. We don’t want that Louis, okay?” Harry sits Louis down and talks to him quietly as Niall potters around collecting bottles and little white clouds that someone has obviously spent a long time collecting and putting into bags.

 

“Okay Lou, I’m gonna do this hand and Harry’s gonna do your left, I promise it won’t hurt too much for too long.” Niall’s uncapping one of the bottles and pouring out some of the gel straight on to Louis’ hand before passing it over to Harry so that he can repeat the action.

 

It doesn’t hurt, not yet at least, and Louis begins to feel safe once more; happy with the decision he made to trust these boys.

 

“Cl-cloud,” Louis instinctively wants to slap one of his hands over his mouth as if in an attempt to shove the stuttered word back to where it came from; the looks of confusion on Harry and Niall’s faces making him uneasy.

 

Niall and Harry are both properly confused; they turn to each other, silently asking if the other knows what the hell the hybrid boy is talking about. Harry turns back to look at Louis who’s staring intently at something in Niall’s possession. It’s only when he turns back to Niall once more that he understands.

 

“Oh no Lou, no love, they do _look_ like clouds, you’re right! But they’re cotton wool balls, they’re like soft and gentle and we use them to wipe our skin.” Harry was trying, he really **really** was, but he knows he’s lost the battle now. He’s fallen in love with this boy, Louis, who is so innocent and so small and Harry just wants to wrap him up safely and tuck him away from all of the bad things in life.

 

Niall bursts into a smile and Louis can’t help but smile back instantly; pleased to see that this time the smile makes his blue eyes sparkle and shimmer.

 

“Yeah, I guess clouds do look like this, except maybe clouds in hot countries; over here they’re just grey grey grey all the time!” Niall is gently rubbing the gel into Louis’ skin now using one of the cotton wool balls and Harry was right, Louis thinks, it is soft and gentle. It stings a little but nowhere near as much as it had stung Louis when Jonny used to slap him around.

 

“All done!” Niall happily puts everything to one side before pulling Louis upright, the slighter boy just following the movement having decided these boys have earnt his trust.

 

Louis just stands there, he’s worn out and sleepy now and he knows that there’s a bath waiting for him but he doesn’t have the energy to shed his clothes and wash himself. His eyes fall shut and a little purr escapes him when he feels gentle hands run their way soothingly through his hair, tickling their fingertips along his ears and scratching lightly. He doesn’t object when he feels another set of hands begin to peel his clothes off of him, he almost has no cares in the world and he figures that even if these two boys that he has installed his trust in were to kill him; he would die happy.

 

The air feels as though it’s blowing in slight breezes as it washes over his bare skin. He already feels refreshed and a thousand times better than he thinks he ever has before. He follows Niall and Harry’s movements as they direct him over to the bath tub and lift him in gently; ever so gently.

 

Louis smiles instantaneously as the water surrounds and encompasses him; it reminds him of a distant memory he has of a time he was allowed to sit out in the weak afternoon sun.

 

His eyes are closed and he hums under his breath in glee as the soft sounds of popping bubbles fill his ears. He doesn’t even spare any strength to feel embarrassment as the two sets of hands wash his body and discuss in hushed tones the condition of his flesh.

 

“Pop, pop, pop, pop, pop-pop-pop, POP!” Louis can’t stop himself, he’s never felt like this before, and he squeals gently as he bats out a newly cleansed hand to swipe at some of the bubble bath that covers him.

 

He blinks open his eyes when he hears laughter and when he sees the sparkling eyes and smiling lips he giggles with them.

 

It all becomes a little silly after that, the three giggle madly as they all try and pop the bubbles in Louis’ bath and they float everywhere! They drift and bounce through the air and some even drift high enough to sit on Harry’s hair and Louis thinks they look brilliant! He cups his hand to collect some before cradling them gently only to dump them unceremoniously with a cackle on top of Harry’s hair. Harry grins back before cupping his own handful and Louis prepares himself, thinking that Harry is going to reciprocate and balance them on his hair but instead Harry just smirks and blows them!

 

Louis gasps an inward giggle as the bubbles shoot into his face, popping against his face and he shakes his head to try and appease the tickling feeling. Some of the bubbles must scurry their way up his nose though as he finds himself sneezing obscenely; the power of it pushing bubbles back at Harry.

 

It takes Louis a few moments to regain his composure, the giggles and sneezing having taken their toll on him; and he focuses his eyes on Niall who for some bizarre reason seems to have collapsed onto the floor.

 

Louis’ stomach drops and his heart beat faster and faster and _why hasn’t Harry noticed? Why hasn’t Harry noticed that they’ve only gone and killed Niall?!_

Harry must see something in Louis’ expression because the grin falls from his face and he looks concerned.

 

“Niall. Niall dying? Louis and bubbles hurt Niall?” Louis is afraid; he’s spent so long wishing that he could kill Jonny only to go and kill this sweet boy instead.

 

Harry’s eyes widen and he turns to stare at Niall before a smile breaks out on his face once more and now Louis’ really confused. He trusted these boys and now he’s managed to pretty much kill one of them and the other one looks so happy about it that Louis’ worried for his own safety; for the first time in his whole existence.

 

There’s a choke and a splutter and a mad sound of **hahaha** that leaves Louis even more confused because it’s all come from Niall; the boy that’s shaking in a heap on the tiled bathroom floor.

 

Harry’s turned back to Louis now, a soft and fond look in his eyes and he smiles as he says, “Louis, you haven’t killed him. You haven’t hurt him at all love, he’s laughing, he tends to have extreme laughing fits sometimes.” Harry gently reaches out a hand to brush softly over Louis’ sharp cheekbone and it feels nice to have someone touch him gently like that.

 

After a few more gasping breathes of **hahaha** Niall manages to pull himself upright and Louis sees for the first time that the blonde boy is indeed very much alive.

 

“You didn’t hurt me Louis, you just made me laugh and that means that you’ve made me happy. Really, really, happy Louis, so thank you!” Niall shines bright; he’s maybe even brighter than the bulb was that Jonny used to shine in his eyes sometimes whenever Louis bit him.

 

Louis’ about to reply when his ears pick up the sound of footsteps heading their way and instead he just tucks himself back into the warm depths of the bath; hoping that the bubbles will protect him if need’s be.

 

Liam heard the commotion and desperately wanted to see what was happening but Zayn had held him back; wanting to let the three have their moment of joy and for Louis to laugh. Liam hadn’t taken much persuasion; he is now firmly under the belief that they will never have to worry about writing another Number 1 song. All they need to do is capture the sound of Louis’ laughter and release it; for the whole world to enjoy and relish and love just as he does already. Selfishly though, he hopes that the world will never discover it, there’s some nasty people out there after all; like Jonny who he is sure would try and steal it away from them.

 

The pizza’s been delivered now and there’s nothing left to do but tell the three boys giggling in the bathroom that tea is ready. So he wanders down, leaving Zayn to set the table, for the first time ever using the fifth placemat.

 

He reaches the bathroom and smiles widely at the sight that greets his eyes. There are bubbles everywhere! It’s as if there has been some kind of silent explosion. Niall is red in the face which Liam knows is a sure fire way to know the boy has just experienced a topnotch bout of raucous laughter. Harry is grinning like a Cheshire cat as he washes Louis’ hair and Louis; his eyes are squinting and he’s purring and Liam hasn’t seen him smile that big until now.

 

He feels regret at breaking the moment but he figures the bath water must be getting cold by now anyway, “Pizza’s here! Come on, you three can have as much bubble related fun as you want later.”

 

Louis is proud of himself, he manages to stop himself from flinching at the new voice in the bathroom and he blinks his tiring eyes open in greeting to Liam; offering him a small smile.

 

He’s rewarded with an even bigger smile in return from Liam, Niall _and_ Harry and the three pull him from the depths of the watery bubble pit and wrap him in a warm soft towel. He purrs as they dry him, carefully so as not to scuff any of his cuts or bash his bruises. He offers no fight as they dress him in new clean clothes…

 

Louis eats his tea in silence, he feels a little embarrassed that he had to be shown how to pick up a pizza without all of the toppings falling off and he feels a little guilty that Niall now has a plate full of slopped toppings; mounds of chicken and sweet corn and pepperoni and ham and cheese and bread all mushed around together whereas Louis has a few completely fresh slices on his plate in exchange. Niall had just smiled at him though and ignored Louis’ attempted refusal of the swapping offer, taking a mouthful of his food before talking with his mouth open and telling Louis, “Don’t matter to me Lou; it all goes where I want it to anyway, whether it’s on the slice or in a heap.”

 

Louis had smiled when Liam clapped a hand around the back of the blonde’s head, making him splutter on his mouthful and promised to try and stop talking with his mouthful.

 

Every once in a while Louis would raise his gaze and let his eyes linger over each of the boys sat at the table with him, every time one of them noticed he was looking he felt a wave of uncertainty wash over him although, each and every time that same feeling was washed away by the boys smiling at him; not just with their mouths but their eyes too.

 

After tea they’d let him continue to sit as they washed up quickly and Liam had offered Louis some milk which he had drank embarrassingly quickly; not that the boys seemed to mind though as they just smiled, told him it was his home now and he could have as much milk as he would like, and refilled his glass.

 

They’d encouraged him to go back to the living room with them, all of them cuddling onto one sofa and taking Louis with them; he’d be unsure at first but then he had found out just how comfy and safe it felt to be sat close to the boys and he had settled onto the cushions with a happy smile.

 

He had felt his eyes drifting shut as the television spoke quietly in the corner, every once in a while one of the boys would start a conversation or Niall would munch on some sort of food and with each passing second Louis felt his heart beating _homehomehome._

 

“Bedtime?” Zayn asks from Louis’ sides and he forces his eyes open, pushing back the powerful tug of sleep to see the four boys looking at him with twinkling eyes.

 

It’s as if they’re waiting for him to give a reply but Louis has never been asked that before so he softly murmurs, “I don’t know?”

 

“Come on, love, let’s get snuggled down and tomorrow will be a whole brand new day,” Harry is gentle as he picks Louis up and the hybrid curls in tighter within Harry’s arms; not even once feeling scared that the boy may drop him. He’s carried out of the living room and down the hall and confusion only sets in when Harry stops in the corridor. “Where would you like to sleep Lou? You can be with us in our bed or we can make you your own, with lots of blankets and pillows and get you a mattress and take you out one day so you can choose it all yourself?”

 

Louis’ taken aback; he’s never been given the power to make a decision before and as much as he trusts these boys it all feels like too much, like they’re offering him too much to lull him into a false sense of security. Whatever it is; he doesn’t like it and he closes his eyes, wishing for someone to make the choice for him.

 

Zayn must have overheard though and his voice breaks Louis’ sad thoughts and makes him open his eyes, face the boy and watch his lips move transfixed as he speaks his soft words. “Tell you what, it’s late and we’re all tired; we’ll make a quick den so that it’s all snugged and then you can choose yourself. You can start in the den and have it as your own and it is your own; totally and completely yours, just like this is your home now. Then, if you want, you can move and come in with us and we would love for you to do that; but we just want you to be comfortable Louis. Alright?”

 

Louis thinks he _definitely loves_ these boys. He smiles at Zayn and feels a little dab of wet on his lip which he catches by poking out the end of his tongue and swiping and _milkmilkmilk_ , yummy yummy milk and he giggles gently as Zayn smiles at him, mouth _and_ eyes lighting up.

 

The den is made and Louis watches with interest as Liam’s arms bulge and move as he bends and lifts pillows and blankets and mattresses and the one time that Niall catches him watching makes Louis feel embarrassed; until Niall just winks and watches with him.

 

Louis clambers in to his den, bidding a quiet and tired goodnight to the boys who have all jumped into the huge bed in the same room and he curls himself up, wriggling until he’s settled in the masses of soft sheets.

 

He manages to sleep for a while but it’s still dark when he wakes up. He still feels tired when he blinks open his eyes to drink in his surroundings and he very quietly eases himself from the blankets as curiosity takes over him. He stretches his body a little and pixie hops to the bed, looking down at the four boys who may just have saved his life. He’s startled when a pair of eyes blink back at him and he feels is ears flatten and his heart begin to race but the boy just offers out a hand for him to take and pulls him in. That’s how Louis discovers that there are definitely things comfier than an old and dirty cage; like a den and a bed and four boys, **a home**.

 

Louis isn’t sure whether it’s to do with the fact that he’s a little feline or the fact that it’s nearly always quiet but the night times are the easiest. He has found that the daytime is unpredictable; there seems to constantly be a phone chirping from somewhere, even sometimes under Louis’ bottom when he’s accidently sat on top of the device. Liam had tried to explain to Louis that phones can make a different noise depending on what they’re telling you, Louis had become confused as soon as he had spoken the words ‘text message’ and Liam had just stopped talking and wrapped Louis up in his arms, cuddling him and whispering sweet words into his ever softening hair.

 

Niall had also continued to cause Louis confusion by, as Harry had described it, ‘defying the norms of humanity.’ Harry had grinned when Louis just cocked an ear in confusion and Niall had shouted a crisp muffled ‘fuck off.’ You see, Niall eats lots of meals a day and Louis had been sure that there were only ever two meals of the day; breakfast and tea… Not that he had ever really gotten a proper one of either.

 

Harry’s always coming and going as well and there seems to always be someone in tow, Louis manages to slink away unnoticed and he lumbers off to the safety of his den to clean himself with pride.

 

Zayn had scared Louis at first; when the latter had heard a hissing noise one day and the fur on the back of his neck pricked up in the assumption that there was another cat close by his instinct had taken over, leading him to very bravely follow the noise. Louis had pushed open the door and was filled with fear at the sight of Zayn wearing a mask over the bottom half of his face, holding a spray can and painting the wall red. Louis hadn’t been able to bite back his whimper and had tried to flee from the room only for Zayn, with superhuman like reflexes, to gently capture him with two hands around his waist. Zayn had then explained to Louis all about his graffiti room and when Louis had continued to look confused, he let Louis look around and take in all of the words and animations that littered the walls in a seemingly organized chaos.

 

Night times are the best for Louis though, they’re predictable and easy; they have a pattern and structure and Louis likes them for that. He likes that his eyesight seems to become a little sharper at night time and he gets to watch everything that little bit closer; take in all of the extra detail that he’s missed during the day. He also gets to snuggle down in his den, or if he’s feeling extra brave; in the boys’ bed. He has mug of milk that rolls down his throat in the most delicious of ways, ‘ _organic’_ Niall had told him and Louis isn’t sure what that means but it’s like he’s drinking a little bit of heaven with each and every sip. He gets to watch as the boys, _his_ boys, drift off to sleep, arms and legs around each other, tucked in gently and comfortably under the duvet. He gets to listen to their soft snores and murmured ‘ _I love you’_ s and each and every night he gets his own one off each and every boy.

 

So yeah, Louis thinks, night times are the best and maybe one day they’ll just be a bunch of midnight memories, but to him, they’re more than he could ever have wished for. 


End file.
